This subject area examined how to encourage environmental sensitivity through zoning and removing zoning obstacles to sustainable design. Issues included green building design, low impact development, transit oriented development, energy efficiency and measures of sustainability. The consultant team of Clarion Associates and Farr Associates was engaged to help provide professional expertise to the Working Group and Office of Planning. The Office of Planning and the Sustainability Working Group have concluded their efforts to review the District’s zoning ordinance and identify potential obstacles and methods to integrate sustainability policy objectives into the code.

Working Group

Meetings for this subject area were conducted on the following dates:|November 17, 2008December 4, 2008December 15, 2008January 8, 2009February 5, 2009February 19, 2009

Moving Forward

The final recommendations were heard by the Zoning Commission at a Public Hearing held on May 21, 2009. To see the full transcript of the public hearing, you can read the Zoning Commission transcript of case 08-06-9 on their site here. To sign up for notification or to participate in this group click here.Questions? Click here.

Sustainability Diagnosis for the Zoning Review - This Sustainability Diagnosis was drafted to serve as a background paper and a guide to discussion for the Sustainability Working Group. In order to organize the wide range of sustainability topics into a manageable list for discussion, we have divided the material into seven substantive sections:
• Climate Change
• Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Production
• Integrating Land Use and Mobility
• Water Conservation and Greywater
• Slopes, Streams, Stormwater, and Hydrology
• Food Production/Security and Community Health
• Sustainable Businesses and “Green Jobs”